When I talk to manufacturing companies as a consultant or as a sales agent – I challenge them to be the lowest cost producer when the plant is pushing capacity and when the plant is cutting back. You want a company name on the door and people working inside and the only way to do this is to be able to keep making a product at a low margin. Effective manufacturing, increasing product mix, lowering changeover time, increasing first pass yield, increasing uptime are all highly important to remain profitable. Facilities are closing and corporations are smart enough to close the highest cost producer.

Today, computer savvy professionals in manufacturing management may not understand the basic functionality of a process historian. I invite you to read through this article to learn the background of the process historian and to remove some of the mystery and sales jargon that keep many professionals today from even understanding what they are buying.

What is the difference between a meeting and a workshop? What is the difference between a presentation and a workshop? What is the difference between routing a functional specification for comments/approval and a functional specification workshop?

Senator Claghorn was Kenny Delmar’s very fictional character that appeared regularly on the Fred Allen show from 1945 through the end of the show in 1949. Delmar’s wildly popular character was bolstered by great writing and cast on Allen’s top ranked radio show of 1946-47season. Senator Claghorn appeared in a movie in 1947 titled “It’s a joke, Son”.

Almost every segment of manufacturing is being affected by the downturn in the economy. Some are in a full crisis. I was at the site of a prospect two weeks ago. Their demand is low and their warehouse inventories are high. The manufacturing facility is running at about 25% of the capacity that is was only a year ago. Is this the time to put your head down, nose to the grindstone, work and tough this thing out saving every penny?